A dream of becoming a Na'vi
by Aldiss
Summary: AU OCxOClikeJake. What if Jake was born a Navi, and there was a girl in his place in a movie? Jane Sully is an anthropologist who came to Pandora to study Na'vi culture.
1. Chapter 1

First of all, I'd like to apologize for my poor English. As it isn't my native language, please be tolerant. I hope you would enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoy writing it. If you like it, please review.

***

I was so excited when dr Augustine took Norm and me to the jungle for a first time. Trudy took us in her Samson. Even though she's not a scientist she is fun to hang out with, especially when you are fed up of scientist talk. She stayed in the Samson, and we went to the jungle. I saw the jungle before but it still amazed me. While training on Earth I only saw some photos, which can't really be compared to the real thing. On my home planet there were no forest left. Any plants that survived were growing in greenhouses used as a source of food. Very expensive food I might add. And even here, till now, I only trained in Hell's Gate, how to control my avatar, so I've seen jungle only with my human eyes.

I managed to control my avatar quite quickly, especially in comparison to Norm, who still is a little clumsy. But well, he's clumsy even as human. When I first connected to the avatar I felt great. So natural, yet so overwhelmed. All the senses were so sharp I couldn't focus. Suddenly I could see brighter and sharper, smell and distinguish different scents of things and people, I could hear from farther. I was also stronger and more gracious. Getting used to having a tail took a while, though. It's funny, how natural it seems to me after some time. Now, when I disconnect from my avatar I'm sometimes loosing balans without my tail in human body.

And then again, all of that were behind Hell's Gate. I got used to being in avatar, but in jungle all of it rushed back to me. While walking after dr Augustine and Norm I couldn't focus on what they were saying. I looked around and listened to the smallest voices that surrounded me.

'I think they're watching us even now' I heard dr Agustine answer to Norm's question. I listened more carefully and for a moment thought that I hear someone, some Na'vi, somewhere near. I wished I could smell them, but as unexperienced as I was now, I wouldn't recognise them anyway.

'Look at this' dr Augustine said to me and I tried to focus on what she was doing. I was a scientist after all, that's why I was here, I tried to told myself. Woman in her avatar was now taking some samples from a root. Okay, maybe not axactly why I am here. I wasn't actually a biologist, but I needed to have field training in that domein too. I am anthropologist. What I really wanted to do was studying Na'vi. Their culture. Then dr Augustine asked me to show her how I do it. I barely focused on the task, but gave her full syringe. She brought her attention to Norm. As he had some problems with taking the sample, I used the opportunity and wandered off. I know it was really stupid, to got lost in thoughts wandering through a jungle, but I couldn't help myself. I found huge bright-orange plant, that I knew will shut if I touch it. I came closer, but carefully not to touch it, and smelled the plant. It had very sweet scent. It was mixed with something else, something sweaty and saulty. I approached a little more, and suddenly plant started to shut. I strightened right away. Behind the plant stood very big and very pissed off creature. I knew that I could't run, but I felt weak in the knees. It made some awful noise and show its ruff to scare me. Despite the fear I took a step forward and snarled as load as I could. It made some more noise but then backed away. I felt relief but then I heard something behind me.

'It's tanathor!' dr Augustine screamd from my left. She and Norman came as soon as they heard my snarl. It's funny, cause I smelled them before I acknowledged their presence. I already could recognise them by their smell. I turned around and saw what was there. For a milisecond I panicked, but then my legs moved on their own. I run as fast as I could, not looking behind my back. I almost felt the tanathor breath on my neck, while I was ziggzagging through a jungle. At some point I thought I was dead. But then I saw some hope. The waterfall was right in front of me. I didn't think, didn't wonder what would happen after I do what I was going to, I just jumped. Moment later I were surrounded by cold water.

With some difficulty I reached surface and then swam to the bank. As I climbed to the ground I saw angry tanator growling loudly from above.

I was saved... But I realised soon, that I was also alone, in the middle of the jungle. I might have been saved but I was also screwed.

I was soaked, so I took of my shirt, which I had open for all the time anyway, and stayed only in my green knitted bra-like top and shorts. If not for them and shoes I would look almost like a native Na'vi girl, cause I had even my hair done like one of then, in lots of thin braids, with feathers mingled in them. I laughed mentally thinking that a real Na'vi wouldn't probably think so at all. I walked through a jungle for a while, trying to figure out where I was. I started panicking. Night was coming quickly and I didn't know what to do after sunset. I was only a scientist! I knew they couldn't seek me at night so I had to survive to dawn. I didn't have a clue how, though. I tried hard to focus. All noise around me distracted me. I tried to calm down. _Try to determine if you are in danger now_ I told myself. I didn't hear anything disturbing so I calmed a little. I smelled my surroundings. I didn't detect anything. I tried to trust my senses. I have some Na'vi DNA in me also, so maybe some of their instincts too...

For now I seemed to be safe, but I had to decide what to do. _Focus!_ If I were a Na'vi, what would I do? I would know the forest, know all the dangers... I would be hunter. What hunters do? They're quiet, try not to bring attention to themselves. But they also have some weapons. I had none. But maybe I can hide. Where I will be safe? I looked around. It was getting dark. I should hurry. There were a lot of trees. I knew that most of the animals didn't climb on trees, so I should be quite safe on one. Climbing was tricky but not impossible. Maybe I wasn't strong for a Na'vi, but I was quite small and nimble. I managed to get rather high. I settled in a wide branch and tried to sit quietly. For a while I was surrounded by darkness. But then I saw faint light of bioluminiscence. I was in awe. I admired my surroundings and for a moment I forgot how vulnerable I was. Then, suddenly I heard something. Not anything load, like noise maked by animals. Some faint sound, but very familiar. Sound of pulling bowstring. I froze, and turned my head very slowly. My ears flattened as I saw a male Na'vi, pointing his arrow at me. Arrow with neurotoxine that could stop my heart in a minute. I shivered, my heart started to bump really loudly. So load that he must have heard it.

He seemed to be perfect still. Like a marble statue. From what I could see, he was very tall, even for a Na'vi. Has broad shoulders, and a lot of muscles. His face was very handsome even with his hard expression. _What is he doing?_ I thought. Is he deciding if he should kill me? When I turned first, I saw some sort of surprise on his face. Like he didn't expect me spotting him.

Then from above, some big seed floated to him, and stopped on his arrow. I've never seen such big seed. It was bright and beautiful. I saw him blink and then he withdraw an arrow. I gasped and moved a little. It wasn't good idea. I slipped and before I realised I fell of the tree.

I rolled on the ground and tried to stand immediately, because I heard some snarling around me. Next second I was attacked by some dog-like creatures. I managed to dodge one of them but there were a lot of them, everywhere. I snarled at them as load as I could, almost instinctively, hoping that maybe it'll scare them of. It didn't, not much anyway. One of them jumped at me and knocked me down. I realised after a moment that it didn't bite me. It fell of off me with an arrow in its flesh. I stood up and saw that Na'vi from the tree fighting with the rest of them. He slashed one, and kicked the other. Some of them he hit with his bow, snarling all the time. His snarls were a lot more intimidating that mines and in the end he scared all the creatures off. Then he looked around, not acknowledging me at all, and kneeled in front of one of the 'dogs' to end its life. Doing it he talked in Navi. He was apologising for their deaths...

When he finished, he standed up and turned to leave. I looked after him, and then run.

'Hey, wait, where are you going?' I followed him for a moment. 'Please, don't leave me behind. Take me with you!'

He didn't respond. I run faster and grabed his arm. I didn't expect what he did next. He hit mi hard with his bow, sending me flying to the ground.

'Go away!' he barked. 'I should have killed you!'

'Then why didn't you?' I asked, bewildered. He had spoken in perfect English 'Why didn't you let those animals kill me?' I added in navi. He looked at me, not really that surprised, as I expected.

'You're a woman. I don't kill women' he paused. He seemed to be considering something.'You are different than other Dreamwalkers. You don't make that much noise as they. You've heard me. No Dreamwalkers were able to hear me before. But you are like child, you don't know what to do!'

He turned back again and started walking.

'Then teach me!' I called after him.

'You cannot be teached what you don't see' He said as I cought up with him once more.

'Then teach me to see!'

That conversation was going nowhere and I started to fear that soon he'll lost me and I will be alone again. Then I realised that we came near some big, very big, tree. We were now on one of its enormous roots. He stopped abruptly and turned to me.

'You can't be here!' he barked at me, showing his fangs, that were a lot bigger than human's, a lot more intimidating. I had trouble not to retreat. 'Go back!'

'Please' I said in navi. 'I need your help!'

'No!' he repeated. 'Go back!'

I felt tears gathering in my eyes and was about to start crying when I spotted something bright above us. It was this big seed. Atokirina, I remembered how it was called. There were a lot of them. I rised my hands trying to catch it. It landed on my hands. The other ones started to land on my shoulders and chest. In a moment I was almost covered in them. I looked at male Na'vi. He seemed to be surprised even more than I was. Then, suddenly, all of the seeds rose a little and flew away.

'What was that?' I wandered silently to myself. Then I heard Na'vi saying something.

'Come!' he repeated. 'Come!'

He led me through bunches of plants which started to shine when I touched them. I couldn't help myself not to touch some of them purposedly, just for fun. Na'vi didn't let me drag on, he hurried me every once in a while. We were practically running all the time and I started to feel tired, but it was pleasant tiredness. I've never run this much in my avatar body before. Of course I've been training on the fields inside Hell's Gates, but it was nothing in comparison to running through an actual jungle. Where ground wasn't flat and hard, where plants and roots were everywhere.

'What's your name?' I asked in Navi at some point. We were getting close to the tree, and I realised I didn't even know who I'm with right now. Some of Na'vi were known to me, I learnt about them in my training, so maybe I heard about him? I couldn't find out, because right after I asked I was hit with bolas, and fell to the ground. Tired and feeling safe in his presence, despite his apparent hostility, I stopped scaning my surrounding carefully anough and didn't see it coming.

Immediately I untied my legs and stood up, only to saw being surrounded by many Na'vi warriors. Some of them on horse-like animals, some on foot, but every single one pointing theirs bows at me. I gulped, rising my hands in gesture of peace and surrending.

'Don't shoot' I pleaded in Navi. They only made some warrior noises.

'Stop!' my Na'vi, sort-of, friend shouted.

'What are you doing?' asked him one of warriors. 'Why haven't you killed this Dreamwalker? She should not be here!'

'I wanted to kill her' replied calmly male. My heart almost stopped. 'But I saw a sign from Eywa'

The other snorted. 'You saw a sign from Eywa. It's your betrothed who is to become Tsahik, not you!'

'Nonetheless, I saw a sign. My mother of mate-to-be, recent Tsahik, should see her before we kill her'

I felt stung in my heart. He has betrothed mate... _Stop!_ I reprimanded myself. _It's not time for that kind of thoughts! I shouldn't ever have that kind of thoughts! I am human, even if in avatar body now. He wouldn't ever considered me as mate material, and even if he somehow did, I couldn't let that happen!_

'Fine' agreed other warrior. He nod to some of the men, and they grabed me violently by my queue and with a knife near my neck, they practically dragged me to the tree.

When we were passing through a crowd, after getting to the tree, every Na'vi were looking at me with surprise and anger, some with curiosity. I was never a shy person, but all those stares were making me want to hide. I felt so alien and out of place right now. I noticed that I was very short for a Na'vi, and had bigger breast than most of them. I would loughed at such though not being in my situation.

We stopped in some sort of chamber inside the huge tree, near the spiral structure in the mieddle, which looked like it were stairs. Everywhere were gathered Na'vi. Among them stood very tall, intimidating looking man, in different than most clothing, or rather jewelery, from the lack of the forementioned.

'Oloeyktan' said male Na'vi I first met. I looked from him to his the other. He was leader of Omaticaya?!

'Ja'ki. Why did you bring that Dreamwalker woman here?! They're not to come here, was my orders!' He said, and grimaced.

'I know, Eytukan. But I saw a sign from Eywa and thought that Tsahik must see her'

'A sign from Eywa?' said some female Na'vi, who stood by Eytukan side. 'Eywa do not give signs for Dreamwalkers!'

I noticed she was really young and beautiful.

'Let Tsahik decide about that, doughter' said leader. So this was my Na'vi mate-to-be... _Crap! He is not MY Na'vi! Shut up, brain! _

'What is going on here' We all heard voice from above. From the spiral structure were coming tall woman, dressed in some sort of shawl, with hair tied up and a lot of perles.

'Dreamwalker' she turned to me. 'What are you called?'

'Jane' I speaked for the first time here. 'Jane Sully'

The woman pull out some sort of pin from a sheath attached to her necklace and jabbed me all of sudden. I cried surprised. She then licked the blood from the pin. For a moment it looked like she was testing its taste or something, and then she spoke to me again.

'Why are you here, Janesully?'

'I'm here to learn' I answered immediately without a thought. I knew she meant what I was doing here, right now, not in general, but the answer was practically the same, I realised.

'We tried to teach other Skypeople. It is hard tu fill the cup that already is full'

'My cup is not full' I tried to convince her. 'And even if it turns out that it is, you can always kill me then.'

'She is not like the other Dreamwalkers, Mo'at.' said Na'vi that brought me here. 'She knows how to listen, I saw it. She can learn.'

'Alright, Ja'ki' decided Tsahik. 'If you're so sure, you will teach her of our ways'

My heart jumped. I was going to be tought Na'vi ways, by Ja'ki?! That would be great! I was so excited already. That was something I always dreamed about. To be able to become like real Na'vi, look at them from the inside, not only study from the distance!

Ja'ki made displeased noise. He apparently didn't agree with me.

'Learn well Janesully' she told me and then went away. Na'vi stared at me for a little more and then started to scatter.

'Neytiri?' asked Ja'ki. 'Could you help her dress properly?'

She snorted.'If you insist'

She turned to me. 'Come'.

Neytiri led me up, to some sort of alcove, high on the tree. There she gave me loincloth and told to take off my shorts and shoes. I did that quickly, not wanting to anger her more. She kindly showed me how to put the loincloth on. I was surprised she let me keep my knitted top, but I guessed it looked like one of theirs pendants they covered breast with, so she didn't bother. When I was dressed she led me back to Ja'ki. I was surprised that that outfit was actually rather comfortable. I could at last swing my tail freely now!

'Come' said Ja'ki only, when he saw me. We went down, to some sort of huge chamber, were most Na'vi were sitting. I t was some sort of gathering. We went through crowd and sit near the middle of the place. Passing by, I naerly step of someones tail, but fortunately I stopped myself in last second. We sat and only then they seemed to stop staring.

'Hi' I said shyly to a person sitting next to me. He was tall, intimidating looking Na'vi, with deep frown, that looked like were never gone from his face. I knew I should greet him in proper way, in Navi, but then everything was so overwhelming I forgot myself. He didn't respond, just looked away, annoyed.

Then, ceremony started. It was some sort of storytelling. Some older Na'vi were telling about history of Na'vi. Although I knew there have to be elder Na'vi, I was actually surprised when I saw them. I quickly forgot that, and everything else, when I started to listen and lost myself in their voices.

After storytelling Ja'ki led me to a meal, and then, high to sleeping place. He showed me were I can sleep and hopped to his own hammock, made of leaves or some part of tree it was. I tried to mimick him and nearly fell into abyss. Clumsily I managed to settle in the hammock in the end, and I was quickly asleep. Kind of.


	2. Chapter 2

I opened my eyes only to be blinded by flashlight.

'Jane? Jane!' I heard someone repeat frantically.

'She's waking' said some other.

I blinked a few times and finally got my vision back.

'Come back to us, kid'

'Hey' I said lamely.

'You've got no idea how worried I was about you!' dr Augustine almost screamed. 'Is your avatar safe?' she added in a moment. That sounded more like her.

'Yeah. You won't believe where I am.'

'Come on. You'll tell us at dinner'

I got up slowly from machine. Again I felt funny without a tail to help with balance, but I adjusted quickly and went with the rest to the cantine.

When I got there I were surprised to discover how hungry I was. A moment had to past before I realised that last time I ate I had been in avatar body, not this. Sometimes switching bodies was a pain. Soon enough I remembered also how awful was food here. On Earth, real food was very expensive, and even then it was made mostly of chemicals. Here wasn't any better. They grew some Earth plants here, in greenhouses with oxygene, but not enough to eat them everyday. I collected my piece of shapeless meal, that I didn't really want to know what it was, and went to look for the table where dr Augustine, Norm, Max and others sat.

'Jane' Norm waved to me from the distance. I came closer, and he moved to make some space for me. I sat between him and Max, dr Agustine sitting opposite to me.

'So girl, don't be cruel. Tell us what happened to you' asked Max.

'Yeah, Jane. First tell us, are your avatar really alright? It looked really nasty, when you've been running away from that Thanator' Norm, as always was very caring.

Some of people sitting at the table gasped. They haven't heard about anything yet.

'I'm totally, absolutely fine' I said. 'A little tired and sore from running, but apart from that, fine'

'Come on, tell us what happend!' Max said excitedly.

'First, tell us where your avatar is' dr Augustine ordered.

'In the Hometree of Omaticaya' I stated calmly taking some of my meal to my mouth. Wasn't a good idea. I almost spat, as most of them stared at me shouting What?!, Come on! You must be kidding!

'Hey guys, I'm trying to eat here!' I complained halfjoking.

'They let you in?' asked dr Augustin, a little jealous I think.

'Barely, but yeah' I sighted. 'There was that guy, Ja'ki. He brought me there and didn't let them kill me.'

'Ja'ki, like the future Oloeyktan Ja'ki?' Norm asked excitedly.

'Yeah, I guess so' I told him, still little shocked that all of this really happend to me. Sitting here I had the impression that all of this was just my imagination. I took pity on them then, and told them everything, from the begining.

I left the cantine early, ignoring all protests. Everyone had questions and wanted to hear all that again, but I was really tired and wanted to rest some before going back to my avatar. My human body was supposedly sleeping all the time while I'd been in avatar but my brain still felt like I was tired. I needed to rest my mind and then maybe record some videolog. I guessed Norm won't mind listening to my story again. I never talked to the camera alone, always asked Norm to talk with me while doing it. I felt just too silly to talk to myself. And of coarse I was sure he will have more questions. It is no wonder he wants to know everything, I would be jealous too if I were in his place. The only thing I could do for him was satisfying his curiosity.

I wasn't able to do any of that at that time.

'Hey, Thanator chick' I heard from behind me. Trudy.

'Don't call me that' I scowled as she cought up with me.

'I didn't made that up, actually' she laughed. 'It was our _beloved_ security chef, Quaritch'

'Quaritch?' _Great_. What he wanted now?

'He wants to speak with you. He's with Selfridge in his office. He apparently heard about your adventure'

'Wonderful' I sighted.

'Better go to him now, and be done with it.' Adviced Trudy.

'Yeah, I'll do that' I said turning to go in the opposite direction to Selfridge's office. 'Oh, and Trudy' I added before I left. 'If I hear you calling me Thanator chick again, I'll kick your ass!'

She only laughed. Like I would be able to do that. Well, that's true I'm shorter and weaker than her, but that won't stop me trying.

All the way there I've been wondering what they could possibly want from me. If it was Quaritch alone, I would guess that he wanted only to yell at me for endangering myself. But with Selfridge I had no clue.

They were waiting in the office, Selfridge settled in his chair, Quaritch standing behind him, leaning against a wall.

I wasn't easly intimidated, not by men at least, but sometimes that guy just scared me. He was that sort of soldier I wouldn't want to piss off.

'So' he started, not even letting me sit. 'I heard what stunt you have pulled, scientist lady.'

Well, well, well, that was nicer than Thanator chick, I thought. He didn't seem to be angry and I wondered what does it mean.

'Quaritch, where are your manners? Please, Jane, take a sit' Interupted Selfridge, with his fake smile.

I sat and looked expectantly at Quaritch. His scars were very vivid. I wondered, was it a thanator wchich gave him these?

'As a head of security on this base on Pandora I should dissaprove what you did. But I must say, it was actually very impressive'

I looked at him surprised.

'Stupid and dangerous, but impressive, nontheless' he added. 'I'd have thought, that such fragile lady will end up being eaten on her first day, but no. You somehow managed to survive and even get to their village.'

I had an impression that I won't like what he was going to say next. I never wanted to impress the man and wondered what I got myself into.

'You see' Selfridge spoke instead. 'Relations with the natives are getting worse and worse.'

'And you want to change that?' I asked astonished.

'We wouldn't actually care' said Quaritch. 'As long as these savages didn't endanger our whole operation here.'

'So' started Selfridge. 'We've got some proposition for you. We want you to gain trust of those savages and learn whatever they are willing to teach you.'

'And then give us some useful information' added Quaritch.

'So, basically, you want me to spy for you?' I asked, a little shocked. That's so not going to happen!

'Call it as you please. You don't have to do it at all. You still will be able to go to your _little_ blue friends, but only for the next three months.'

'Why only three months?' I asked, worrying what I'll hear.

'I'll show you something' said Selfridge and stood up. He grabbed some small rock that had been levitating above some pad. He waved it almost to my face.

'You know what that little grey rock here is?'

'Yeah, unobtanium' I said, a little perplexed.

'Yes, unobtanium. It sells 20 million a kilo. So that's why we're here, that's what pays for our whole operation. It pays for your science, too. No unobtanium means no more funds.'

He was talking to me like to a child, and that started to irritate me. I knew all that. Couldn't he just go straight to the point?

Selfridge put mineral back to the pad and said.

'Follow me'

He led me to command center, where a lot of computers were. He stopped by a table that showed holograms of the area.

'Can someone...?' Selfridge asked after failed attempt of setting hologram on the place he wanted. Some technician guy came and did it for him.

'I suppose you know what that is?' he asked when our gaze landed on a huge tree. The Hometree. He didn't expect an answer.

'Look at these shiny areas around it. There are the biggest known deposits of unobtanium.'

I looked blankly at bright colours. Something turned upside-down in my stomach.

Selfridge rounded the table and lean his back against it, near me.

'Killing the indigenous looks bad. But you know what to my bosses looks even worse? Low results on my raports.'

'You could prevent this' said unexpectedly Quaritch from behind me. I nearly jumped. 'You could learn what these savages want and then we would provide it, so they'll move before bulldozers get there in three months.'

'It was supposed to be Grace's job to find diplomatic solution, but she obviously failed.' Added Selfridge. 'But now you would be able to negotiate their relocation.'

I felt sick. I already knew what Na'vi wanted, but it wasn't something they could get from Selfridge. They wanted to be left alone, in peace. I couldn't tell that Selfridge, though.

I remembered all those Na'vi faces that was staring at me in the village. I remembered Ja'ki's handsome face. I couldn't let humans greed hurt Na'vi. I had to do something. I didn't know what yet, but I had three months. I had to let Slefridge and Quaritch think I'm by their side, so they won't interfere and let me handle this myself.

'All right. I'll do this.'


	3. Chapter 3

Even though I did that to help the Na'vi, I felt like a traitor. You will be reporting everything to me, Quaritch have said. I couldn't object. I will have to think really carefully what I can tell him and what to make up. _What I'm supposed to do now?_ I asked myself repeatedly on my way to bio lab, where I hoped to find Norm. I didn't know if I should tell him and dr Augustine everything.

They might help me with what I was planning to do, though. I decided I should tell them, just not yet. I was too shaken now and I needed to think all that through.

Norm was, as I expected, in bio lab. We performed our little ritual of recording my videolog, and by the time dr Augustine told me I have to link with my avatar I've calmed down. The village wakes early, I should get going.

When I've been positioning myself in the machine I almost forgot about all my worries. Suddenly I became excited. In a moment I will be connected to my avatar and start my training of Na'vi ways. I couldn't wait. And Ja'ki will be the one to teach me! I had to reprimand myself not to hope for anything. He was out of my reach. But I can look, right?

When I woke up in avatar I felt like all that happend during the night was just a dream. I experienced that feeling a lot lately. I was afraid that soon everything will be like a dream, and I wouldn't be able to distinguish what is real. I had to remind myself, that everything was real.

After some brief breakfast, Ja'ki took me to a jungle somewhere. He led me through the forest, showing me many things on the way. He pointed on some plants and asked me if I knew how they were called. He tought me their names, real names, not the ones we gave them after coming to Pandora. Finally, we get to the banks of stream, which were devoid of trees and bushes.

Ja'ki ordered me to wait for a moment and went away. When he came back, he had some horse-like creature with him.

'It is pali' he said.

I came closer and looked at the animal. It looked friendly and gentle, even in spite of its size. I touched its muzzle and looked into its eyes.

'Hi there' I said, patting it softly.

'Get on her' Ja'ki ordered. I did as he told me, at least tried to. She was bigger than a ordinary horse. Well obviously, but what I meant was, she was bigger than an oridinary horse would be in comparison to my human body. It's not like I've ever ridden on horse before. Well, I did, once. On Earth, horses are really rare. Because of all pollution and not much place left, they are bred in special centres, which is very, very expensive. Not anyone can afford to learn horseriding. I was lucky once. At college I had this very rich friend who brought me to some 'farm' with her. She let me ride on her horse once, and even then, someone led the horse by the reins.

I jumped and tried to hoist myself on her back, but failed. I didn't looked at Ja'ki, just tried again. I was afraid he will coment or show his dispeasure in having to teach me, even if today he was all nice to me. I failed again and was getting irritated. I gritted my teeth and step back a little. I run and bounced, managing to clamber on pali's back.

'Took you long enough' commented Ja'ki, but smiled to me at the same time.

He pointed to one of ear-like long limbs of an animal. I anderstood what he wanted me to do. I've seen how others did it before. I grabbed my queue and brought it close to the limb. From my hair, shiny tentackles showed and connected with pali's.

At first it was like an electicity went through me, I was so shocked. Suddenly I became aware of how many legs pali had, how her heart beat, I felt her nervousness and immediatelly sent soothing thoughts to her.

'That is Tsa'helu. The bond' said Ja'ki. 'Feel her, feel her beating heart, her breath, strong legs.'

I felt everything, like I suddenly grew new lims. A little like when I first felt that I had tail, but different in the same time.

'You can tell her what do. From inside. Tell her where to go'.

I guessed he wanted me to bestir, so I posisioned myself more comfortably and thought _Forward_. Next moment I've been lying in the mud. Pali moved so violently, I fell almost immediately.

When I stood up, and was trying to get rid of all dirt I was covered with, some riders approached. I looked at them and scowled. There were Neytiri amongst them. And that unfriendly guy I sat next to at storytelling, Tsu'tey. Dr Augustin showed me scans of them, to see which of them I recognised. Tsu'tey was Ja'ki's brother.

They got closer, and Tsutey llooked at me with disgust.

'You should go away' he spoke to me, English words sounded harsh coming from his mouth. 'You are not welcomed here!'

'Maybe I'm not. But I'm staying' I answered in Navi, but transfered to English later. Some things are hard to say in Navi. 'Deal with it.'

He snorted and turned to Ja'ki.

'You're wasting your time, brother. She's never going to learn anything.'

'She's pathetic' added Neytiri. 'Let's not stay here longer, she annoys me.'

_Right back at you_, I thought. I glanced at Ja'ki, but he was looking at them calmly, waiting.

They set off then, not getting any answer.

Ja'ki turned to me.

'Again.'

'Ever heard about Tsa'helu?' I asked Norm later in bio lab, recording my videolog.

'Dr Agustine told me once, that it is some sort of connection Navi use their nerves from queues for' he said.

'Why do you ask?' asked dr Augustine, who sat a little farther at the table, studying some samples from the jungle. She sometimes joined our discussion, if we were talking about something interesting, or were wondering about something she knew about.

Like Norm, before that whole 'learn Na'vi ways' adventure, I also heard about Tsa'helu, only from dr Augustine. We didn't really knew how it worked and always were to afraid to try it without checking it previously. Avatars were too valuable to play with them, not knowing what could happen.

'I made it today. With a pali. A direhorse'

'Really?' said Norm excitedly. 'Awsome!'

'How it worked?' asked dr Augustin, leaving her work, and turning her whole attantion to me.

'Well... I connected with animal mentally, I could communicate with her in my head.'

'How it was?' Norm was curious.

'Amazing. I don't even know how to describe it. It was like... like I was me and a pali in the same time.'

I told about how I learnt to ride. It was long and tiring. I tried again and again. I managed to ride without falling only in the end of the day, and even then, when Ja'ki wanted me to do some excercises with pali I landed on the ground again.

Norm couldn't believe that it was so hard.

'Have you ever ride on horse?' I asked him then.

'No, but I think it can't be that hard.'

'I'll ask again after you try to ride.' I said remembering how clumsy he sometimes was.


End file.
